Mother of two was stopped to jump car battery when vehicle veered off the road, into her

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Updated: 8:10 PM EST Jan 24, 2017

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WEBVTT WITH NOBOND.I'M GAIL PASCHALL-BROWN INVOLUSIA COUNTY FOR WESH 2 NEWS.JIM: PURE ANGUISH FROM A 911CALL AS A STRANDED MOTORISTWATCHES A CAB DRIVER WHO STOPPEDTO HELP HIM AS SHE'S RUN DOWNAND KILLED.IT HAPPENED LAST NIGHT AROUND 9-- 9:00 ON THE BEACHLINE ATDALLAS BOULEVARD.TROOPERS SAY 47-YEAR-OLD MEARSCAB DRIVER DANA NELSON STOPPEDTO JUMP THE MOTORIST'S DEADBATTERY.A CAR DRIVEN BY A 26-YEAR-OLDMERRITT ISLAND MAN VEERED OFFTHE ROAD AND SLAMMED RIGHT IN TOHER.>> THE LADY WAS STANDING BEHINDME HELPING ME GET JUMPED.SO I COULD JUMP MY VEHICLE ANDTHE VEHICLE CAME RIGHT IN TO IT.SLAMMED RIGHT IN TO HER.I WAS STANDING NEXT TO HER.I WAS STANDING RIGHT NEXT TO HERI THINK THE VEHICLE HIT MY HAND.

One thought kept running through Valerie Brown's mind when she heard what happened to her next-door neighbor.

"Oh my God. Oh my God. Oh My God," Brown said.

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Monday night around 9 p.m., Brown's neighbor, Dana Nelson, 47, pulled off the Beachline near Dallas Road to help a motorist with a dead battery.

Moments later, a car being driven by a 26-year-old Merritt Island man struck and killed her. The stranded driver told 911 dispatch the vehicle missed hitting him by inches.

"I was standing right next to her. I think the car hit my hand," the driver said, his voice shaking.

Florida Highway Patrol troopers said the driver stopped, but could not explain why his car had gone off the road. A spokeswoman said charges are expected.

Outside the home Nelson shared with two teenage daughters and her mother, multiple cars were parked in the driveway and on the street. The family declined comment.

Brown described Nelson as a friendly neighbor who was kind to her two teen daughters.

"She was ready to go out on a limb to help someone in need and it's really sad she lost her life that way," Brown said.

Throughout the day, word of Nelson's death filtered to her co-workers at Mears Transportation.

In an email, Mears Transportation Group spokesman Roger Chapin said: "We are deeply saddened by the news of the accident. Dana Nelson provided an important service to her passengers while driving a taxicab in Central Florida. Her service and desire to help others was shown last night."

Troopers urge anyone who decides to stop along a busy roadway to help someone in need to watch out for oncoming traffic.